Friday, 10 October 2008

A title in honour of Colin's observation that it only seems to be the British who ring a bell before letting the big guns off, as in the movie 'Battle of the River Plate'

A General Quarters 3 scenario based in an undisclosed part of the Pacific. Despite the scenario being U.S. vs Japan that did not stop us from going Ding! Ding! before rolling the D12s.

The opposing fleets, both consisting of two task forces, faced off against each other but with the added hindrance of a couple of islands mysteriously appearing in the ocean after deployment. (Graeme had finished some more islands that he intends using for Uncharted Seas)

The Japanese had deployed in line astern but turned slightly towards the enemy.

The U.S. had to turn/slow pretty sharpish to avoid the risk of running aground on the islands, preferring instead to run the risk of hitting their own ships. The main TF split, the Battleships staying behind the islands while detaching its destroyer screen towards the main enemy TF.

As the U.S. realigned and turned full circle the Japs kept their big guns in line but sent their smaller task force at full speed around the islands. (They could do this due to their shallower draft, the artificial constraints of table play stopping the U.S. from going round them by going off the table)

Rather than set the guns against like for like ships, most shots were sent towards targets lower down the food chain, the Japanese destryers in the main group getting a couple of nasty salvos off the U.S. Cruseirs. The 3 U.S. Battleships concentrated on the force coming around the island and managed to hurt and slow down the cruisers.

With a wave of torpedoes coming from Dave S's main Japanese force evasive maneuvers were needed from the U.S. to avoid not just the torps but their own ships.

With Colin's destroyer screen surviving their head-on charge towards the torpedoes, but his Battleships taking a few hits from the ones directed at them, the game was declared over.

Everybody agreed that the rules worked OK and there is talk of a possible short campaign based in the Aleutians.

Also of interest was the conversation on NavyField an online WW2 naval game that an increasing number of locals are playing.